The Soul's Desire
by Kai19
Summary: Inuyasha has finally consumed the whole Shikon no Tama!! Now, he must learn some lessons and make a wish, but what will he end up asking his teacher, Midoriko, for? (first attempt at a one-shot)


Um, hi... I guess this is a challenge fic. I challenged myself to write one one-shot, one song-fic, and even one lemon. I'm not about to try the lemon yet, but I have my one-shot, and I'm hoping to work on my song-fic. Just as soon as I update one of my other stories. Please don't flame me too bad for this one!! Besides, I'm a pyro, I'll only bask in them, then proceed to return the love... lol...  
  
Oh yeah, and none of these guys are mine... Sucks, huh?? *sighs and hugs her Inuyasha plush doll, then tweaks the cute ears* Sorry, couldn't help myself...  
  
~~~~~~  
  
The Soul's Desire  
"Do you know what True Love is, Inuyasha? Do you know about Soul Mates?"  
  
Inuyasha turned to look at the person before him, still trying to comprehend everything that had happened. In the final battle against Naraku, Kikyo had been destroyed yet again. She died at Kagome's hands, shot with a purified arrow directly where her heart would have been, had she been fully alive. He still felt the pain of losing her, but for some reason, it didn't seem as strong as he had thought it would.  
  
Then Kagome had called the shards to her, and the Shikon No Tama had fused together in her hands, pure and untainted by the hatred and malice Naraku had been so intent on inflicting. Amazingly, though, after the jewel was whole and pure again, she had held it out to him, telling him to do what he wished with it. And that they would all be there for him, no matter what choice he made. Even Miroku would be there if he chose to become a full demon, something the monk had advised against.  
  
He hadn't been sure what he wanted. The fear of being a full-demon and destroying his friends had stopped him from making that wish, and an odd feeling in his stomach had kept him from wishing to be human. He had finally swallowed the jewel, only to promptly lose consciousness. He had wondered what went wrong for a few minutes, then opened his eyes finally to find himself not in his forest like he had expected, but in an empty field, a woman sitting on the grass beside him.  
  
It was she who asked him these questions, who was to help him place a wish that would hopefully keep the jewel pure. This woman who dressed like a priestess, only wearing armor and a sword that he was certain would be able to slice him through easily. But she did not draw it on him. Even when he had threatened to attack her. She had simply calmed him down, telling him she meant no harm. Then it had hit him who she was.  
  
She was Midoriko; her battle finally won after all these centuries. And now she stood next to him, walking in this open field that seemed so peaceful yet so...  
  
"Do you, Inuyasha?" He looked over at the warrior priestess, and finally nodded.  
  
"Soul mates are two souls bound together for all eternity, right?" She smiled and shook her head slightly.  
  
"Not completely. Soul mates are two souls bound to share true love for all eternity. One soul is not complete without the other." He looked at her curiously, a thought running unbidden through his head. 'Like me and Kikyo. After she died, her soul came back to me, in the form of Kagome...'  
  
A hand on his shoulder brought him from his musings, and he found himself looking into a pair of dark eyes, which seemed to pierce his heart and very soul. "No, Inuyasha. NOT like you and Kikyo. Kikyo was NOT your soul mate." He took a step back at this, his jaw falling in shock. "You see, Inuyasha, true love is composed of many things, and one of them is unwavering trust. Another is ultimate forgiveness."  
  
She sighed. "Hanyous are amazing creatures. The body of a demon, the heart of a human. The perfect blend of strength of body and of emotions." He couldn't help but wonder why a human's heart was such a good thing, but decided to be quiet. When she laughed, he remembered her ability to see his mind.  
  
"You see, Inuyasha, demons are meant to be lonely, cold, creatures. It is something they are raised with. Kill or be killed. And if they love, become too close to another, it will be used against them. Nothing good can come of feelings, and must therefore be abandoned, blocked. Your half-brother is a prime example."  
  
"What!? Sesshoumaru? The only things he feels are anger and hatred." Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest, glaring indignantly at the priestess. Midoriko turned and looked at him curiously, a sad smile on her face.  
  
"But these are feelings, are they not? And he does care for that small girl who travels with him. He had to have kindness in his heart in order to wield the Tenseiga, remember? And yet he used it to save that human. He has changed lately. All of you have changed. And I couldn't be happier or prouder of Kagome." She smiled at him again, this time her whole face lighting up in sheer joy and satisfaction. "She freed you, befriended you when others would ridicule her for such caring towards a hanyou. She turned many enemies into allies, and even startled the unshakable Sesshoumaru. She went from a weak child to a strong woman. Her bravery was always there, and now she has the strength to back up her words. Yes. I'm very proud of my chosen guardian."  
  
Inuyasha stopped walking then, and just stared at her. "Your 'chosen'?" He watched as she smiled and nodded. "You chose her to guard the Shikon No Tama?" Another nod. "But she SHATTERED it!" Inuyasha didn't know which was more surprising; the way Midoriko laughed at this, or the hug he received.  
  
"Yes, she shattered it. And in doing so, forced you to stay near her and befriend her as well. And she made many loyal friends, and whether you believe it or not, they are loyal to you as well. And now, speaking of your friends, we come back to the very first question I asked you. What is your wish? I would like to be able to stay and talk with you, but your friends are becoming worried, especially Kagome." He nodded and began to walk with her again, silently contemplating his choices.  
  
'Kagome', he thought, wondering what she wanted for him to wish. 'I could become a full demon, and always protect her, from anything and everything...."  
  
"But who would protect her from you, Inuyasha?" Midoriko's voice snapped him from his thoughts. "You've become a full youkai before, and you have always seemed to either want to mate or kill. She knows you would never hurt her, but she also knows that when you are in your youkai form... She knows that it is not you." He shook his head slowly, wanting not to believe it, to not even consider what she was saying. "You would kill them, Inuyasha. All of them. Even Kagome. Maybe not immediately, and maybe not even directly. But she would die. One way or another."  
  
He felt the shudder rush through his body, and tried not to imagine a life without Kagome. 'What if I became a human? Then we could be together, right? That's what Kikyo wanted, was for me to be a human. So wouldn't Kagome want the same thing?'  
  
Again, Midoriko voiced her knowledge of the subject. "Inuyasha, were you to become human, you would be fulfilling Kikyo's wish, not Kagome's. You see, Kagome loves you as you are now. And who would protect you and your family and friends? You have lived too long as a hanyou. Your confidence in your abilities would make you get into situations a human body would not let you survive. And I have already told you, Kagome is NOT the same as Kikyo."  
  
A sigh escaped him as he thought over the past. All the pain, and all the joy. "But..."  
  
Finally showing a bit of the strength that made her feared by demons, Midoriko stepped in front of him, blocking his way, standing tall as she cupped his chin and forced him to look at her. "Inuyasha. Kikyo was NOT your true love. She was NOT your soulmate. You think she was, and that's because Kagome's soul was slowly forming inside Kikyo's body, waiting to be released into its true holder. Like I said earlier, part of true love is absolute trust. There is also ultimate forgiveness, never-ending love, and a million other feelings that have no name to them. Kikyo did not accept you as you are. Kikyo did not trust in you enough. Kikyo did not forgive you for a crime she knew you did not commit. Kikyo may have cared for you at some point, but that was the KAGOME in Kikyo's soul that loved you. That is why she was able to break the spell that pinned you to the tree. Because it was Kagome's soul, not Kikyo's, that wanted you to be alive and free."  
  
He fell to his knees in pain and realization as her declaration sunk into him. And yet... He didn't doubt it. He felt almost... relieved...  
  
"What is your wish, Inuyasha?" Midoriko still stood before him, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder. The moment her words ended, a thought flew through Inuyasha's mind faster than Kouga could run on land, no matter how many jewel shards he stuck in his legs. But she heard it, and understood.  
  
"As you will, Inuyasha. I'm very proud of you, my dear hanyou. You have made a wise choice. I wish you luck, life, and love, never-ending. Good-bye, my friend. I hope to see you again, although I dearly hope it shall not be anytime soon. Maybe in a millennium or so..." He looked up to see her smile one more time before everything became white, unconsciously knowing that the wish made on the Shikon no Tama had purified it. It was gone from this world, and Midoriko was free.  
  
~~*~~  
  
He opened his eyes slowly, his ears twitching on top of his head towards the sound of soft breathing coming from beside him. The warmth on that side of his body, coupled with the scent that invaded his sensitive nose, told him exactly who was lying next to him. When he tilted his head slightly to look over and confirm it, a smile crept across his face. There she was, curled up against him, a look of concern etched over her features, worried about him even in her sleep.  
  
Kagome.  
  
He reached out and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to his body as he simply breathed deeply, memorizing the scent he would have nearby for the rest of his life. He smiled even brighter as he recalled the wish granted by Midoriko. He squeezed his love gently then, watching her face as she slept. Now he understood what the warrior priestess had been talking about when she had called Kagome his soul mate. With her by his side, he never felt lonely. So long as she was nearby, he was home. He was happy. Because he was whole, completed to a degree that the jewel could never reach. And all because of this girl from the future. His life held meaning now. He lived to be with Kagome. To protect her, to help her, to make her smile and laugh, to hold her when she cried. To love her.  
  
Now he knew what true love was.  
  
It was Kagome.  
  
And thanks to Midoriko, he would always have her by his side. So long as he lived, Kagome would be there. And when they died, and were reincarnated, they would find each other again, living out another lifetime. And another. Until the end of forever, and beyond.  
  
She woke then, cuddling up against him for a moment before realizing he was awake. And when she looked up at him, her blue eyes delighted and yet still concerned, her face radiated the joy and love she felt.  
  
For him.  
  
He tightened his arms around her, whispering her name softly as he stroked her thick hair, using his claws to gently untangle it. She held him back, asking if he was okay, and he almost laughed. He was better than okay. He was better than perfect. He was in love. And she loved him.  
  
"Ai shiteru, Kagome. More than life itself. More than anything that could ever exist, or has ever existed. And I will always love you. Beyond all eternity, I will always be by your side." She was crying, and for once, he did not feel guilty for causing her tears. Because the love that radiated from her eyes, the crushing embrace she held him in, and the words she whispered back to him, told him that those tears were from happiness.  
  
~  
  
'I wish Kagome would stay with me forever. I wish that I could follow her throughout time. I wish...'  
  
'You wish to be bonded to her, Inuyasha. You wish for equal lifespans, for equal aging. You wish for equal reincarnations. You wish to be with your true love, for all eternity, ne?'  
  
'Yes, Midoriko. I wish to be with Kagome until beyond the end of time.'  
  
'So it shall be done, my beloved hanyou. Treat my chosen one well. I truly am proud, you know. She has taught you many things, but this... this is the most important lesson of all...'  
  
~  
  
With a smile on his face, and lightness in his heart he thought he could never feel, he leaned forward until his lips were pressing against Kagome's, telling her everything he could never say.  
  
"You taught me, Kagome. You taught me how to truly love you." He smiled and kissed her again, holding her close to him as he blocked out all the other sounds, the scraping of his friend's feet outside the door as they listened, the quiet laugh Sango had breathed out, the rustling of Miroku's robes as he led them back to their own beds.  
  
They would come later. He was here, now. With HER. His love. His soulmate.  
  
His Kagome.  
  
Forever.  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
Okay, don't ask me what possessed me to write this. It's called waking up at 6:15 in the morning after getting about 5 hours of sleep, and sitting down at the computer, and typing. This was my first try at a one-shot. I guess tell me how you liked it!! 


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